No. 1312-A通玄百問序
Preface to the One Hundred Questions on Penetrating the Profound
聞霛山正脉。迦葉親承。少室真風。神光立受。自六傳之後。五派以來。法雷聲震於中州。佛日光流於上苑。其有雲仍種草者矣。圓通著百問。激勵學徒。闡一心弘持祖道。其言簡當。其旨幽微。寧容紙背上參求。那許口角頭取辨。若非偉器。難搆洪機。
Hearing the true lineage of Vulture Peak, Mahākāśyapa personally received it. The genuine wind of Shaoshi Mountain was transmitted to Shenguang. Since the six transmissions and the five schools, the Dharma's thunder has resounded through the Central Plains, and the Buddha's light has flowed through the upper gardens. There are those who are descendants of this seed. Yuantong composed the "Hundred Questions" to encourage students, elucidating the One Mind to uphold the ancestral way. His words are concise and appropriate; his meaning is profound and subtle. How can one seek it merely on the surface of paper? How can one grasp it merely through verbal debate? If one is not a vessel of great capacity, it is difficult to engage with this profound mechanism.
當時未遇其人。過日方逢作者。故萬松老師居摩訶菩提蘭若。運三昧正受神通。傳法之餘。匡持之暇。答前百問於指頃。誘後群迷於目今。眼裏有筋。臨濟機縱橫得玅。舌頭無骨。雲門語左右逢源。不拘悟本偏圓。靡定清凉得失。多字學。徒知費力。如人拜。足忍疲勞。
At that time, I had not yet met the right person. It was only after some days that I encountered the true master. Thus, the venerable teacher Wansong, residing at the Mahābodhi Hermitage, applied the divine power of samādhi and right concentration. In between transmitting the Dharma and maintaining its integrity, he answered a hundred questions in the blink of an eye, guiding the confused masses of the future even now. With tendons in his eyes, he wielded Linji’s methods with marvelous freedom; with a boneless tongue, he spoke Yunmen’s words, meeting every situation with ease. He was not confined to partial or complete enlightenment, nor fixed on the gains and losses of Qingliang. Much word-study only leads to wasted effort, like a person bowing until their feet grow weary.
腦後另具鉗鎚。舌本別存鑪鞴。圓通之問。萬松之訓。可謂盡善矣。故不撥。從倫偶依是錄。謾述浮詞。非唯無補宗乘。抑亦濫叨祖域。頌之過半。會公澤唱之於前。錄之逮畢。永叔能和之於後。累及二老。取笑諸方。要知終始。狂情讀誦。向下註脚。叢林閑散幾經秋。宗教通搜未有由。愚魯自慚空過日。忍將狐尾補貂裘。輙申是意。聊為序云。𮤖逢執除七夕前二日龍巖林泉顯道序。
Behind the mind lies a hidden forge; within the tongue rests a secret bellows. The inquiry into perfect penetration, and the teachings of Wansong—these may be called utterly complete. Therefore, without overturning them, Conglun, in accordance with this record, casually sets down these drifting words. Not only do they offer no aid to the ancestral vehicle, but they also presumptuously intrude upon the domain of the patriarchs. More than half of the verses were chanted by Master Ze in the past; as the record nears its end, Yongshu harmonizes from behind. Involving these two elders, we risk becoming a laughingstock among all quarters. To understand the beginning and the end, read these wild sentiments with care. The commentary follows below.
In the quiet groves, idle years have passed like autumns; Searching through the teachings, I’ve found no true path. Ashamed of my dullness, I’ve wasted empty days— How dare I patch a sable robe with a fox’s tail?
Thus, I humbly express this intention, offering it as a preface. Written two days before the Qixi Festival, in the year of Guifeng, By Longyan Linquan Xiandao.